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Description: How can public policy improve the lives of children and families? Research and policy aimed at this goal requires an in-depth understanding of how and why children develop the way they do. To what extent do governmental policies that affect children and families reflect the knowledge developmental scientists have about factors influencing child development? This course is designed to provide an intensive overview of the science of child development, with an emphasis on young children. Students will come away with an understanding of key factors in healthy development and understand how science informs public policy. This course will highlight context and use an ecological approach (e.g. family, school, community) to child development as a foundation for analyzing programs and policies for children and their families. Students will become acquainted with ecological theories of child development and with related research and tools to measure child development. Students will then draw on these theories and research studies to analyze current federal, state, and local programs and policies aimed to reduce childhood poverty and child neglect/maltreatment, and promote child health /mental health and school readiness. Students will write a major term paper in which they will use theory and research on child development to analyze a program or policy of choice.